Chrysocephalum plant named ‘Silsun’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysocephalum  plant named ‘Silsun’, characterized by its compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit; silvery pubescent leaves and stems; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences positioned above the foliage; bright yellow-colored inflorescences; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysocephalum apiculatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Silsun’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysocephalum, botanically known as Chrysocephalum apiculatum andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Silsun’.

The new Chrysocephalum originated from an open-pollination inCranbourne, Victoria, Australia, of an unnamed selection ofChrysocephalum apiculatum, not patented, as the female, or seed, parentwith an unknown selection of Chrysocephalum apiculatum as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Chrysocephalum was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Cranbourne,Victoria, Australia in April, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysocephalum by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia sinceAugust, 2004 has shown that the unique features of this newChrysocephalum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Silsun has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Silsun’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Silsun’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysocephalum:

-   -   1. Compact, low spreading and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Silvery pubescent leaves and stems.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large inflorescences positioned above the foliage.    -   5. Bright yellow-colored inflorescences.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysosephalum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum are more compact than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum have larger inflorescences        than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysocephalum can be compared to plants of theChrysocephalum cultivar Golden Buttons, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia, plants of thenew Chrysocephalum differed from plants of the cultivar Golden Buttonsin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum were more compact, spreading        and mounding than plants of the cultivar Golden Buttons.    -   2. Stems of plants of the new Chrysocephalum were thicker, more        spreading and pubescent than stems of plants of the cultivar        Golden Buttons.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum were more freely branching        than plants of the cultivar Golden Buttons.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum were more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Golden Buttons.    -   5. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Golden Buttons.    -   6. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysocephalum were paler        yellow in color than inflorescences of the cultivar Golden        Buttons.    -   7. Plants of the new Chrysocephalum had longer and thicker        peduncles than plants of the cultivar Golden Buttons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysocephalum, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysocephalum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Silsun’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Silsun’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 20-cm containers in Cranbourne,Victoria, Australia, under commercial practice during the spring andsummer in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperaturesranging from 10° C. to 40° C., night temperatures ranging from 4° C. to28° C. and light levels ranging from 5,000 lux to 9,000 lux. Plants werepinched at planting and then a second time five weeks later. Plants hadbeen growing for about six months when the photographs and thedescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysocephalum apiculatum cultivar Silsun.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Chrysocephalum            apiculatum, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Chrysocephalum            apiculatum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 7 to 12 days at            temperatures of 22° C. to 39° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 12 to 20 days at            temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 30            days at temperatures of 16° C. to 39° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 45            days at temperatures of 10° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; white in color becoming            brown with development.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, low spreading and mounded plant            habit; moderately vigorous growth habit. Freely branching            habit with numerous lateral branches developing after            pinching.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm to 50 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 55 cm to 80 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Diameter: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Internode            length: About 1.6 cm to 2.6 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Densely pubescent, tomentose. Color: 202D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3 cm to 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 0.9 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly to broadly spatulate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 188B to 188C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: 188C to 188D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: 191A to 191B; venation, 188B            to 188C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 191B to 191C;            venation, 188B to 188C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Composite inflorescence form with disc florets            surrounded by showy involucral bracts. Inflorescences borne            above the foliage. Freely flowering habit with about 11 to            25 inflorescences developing per lateral branch.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet, honey-like.        -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring through autumn            in Australia; flowering continuous during this period.            Plants begin flowering about seven to twelve weeks after            planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about 8 to 14            weeks on the plant and about two to three weeks as a cut            flower. Inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 5 mm to 7 mm. Diameter:            About 5 to 7 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 13A to 13B.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.5 cm to 5.5 cm. Diameter of disc: About 8 mm.            Receptacle height: About 2.5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About            4 mm.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Shape: Filiform to tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.            Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, immature: 162A. Color, mature: 23A.        -   Involucral bracts.—Number per inflorescence: Numerous            arranged in about 9 to 14 whorls. Length: About 2 mm to            3 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Broadly lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Margin: Toothed or laciniate; towards the apex,            entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color, upper surface: 9A to 9B. Color, lower            surface: 9B to 9C.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3 mm to 9 mm.            Length, fourth peduncle: About 0.9 cm to 1.8 cm. Length,            seventh peduncle: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong to strong, flexible.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 202D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Present on disc florets only.            Androecium: Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Filament color:            Close to 155D. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther shape:            Club-shaped. Pollen amount: Moderate. Gynoecium: Stigma            shape: Bi-lobed. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:            Close to 155D.        -   Seeds.—Seed set is nil to poor on plants of the new            Chrysocephalum.Quantity per inflorescence: None to about            three. Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysocephalum have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens common to Chrysocephalum.    Plants of the new Chrysocephalum are relartively tolerant to most    pests of Chrysocephalum with the exception of caterpillars.-   Garden performance; Plants of the new Chrysocephalum have been    observed to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −3° C. to about 45° C.

1. A new and distinct Chrysocephalum plant named ‘Silsun’ as illustratedand described.